The invention relates generally to data collection and processing systems and more particularly to portable data terminals as operator manipulatable data input and output devices with display and verification of data.
Portable data terminals are generally known components of state of the art business systems. The data terminals may be taken to merchandise storage facilities for inventory control or customer service transactions, or may be used in any one of various other commercial applications to serve as data input or output devices for central data processing and control stations.
Central data processing or control stations are most useful when business data are always current and readily available. Prompt data entry and retrieval at the working level through various operator controlled portable data terminals is recognized as a basis for optimizing, among various business activities, inventory control and customer service activities, business forecasting and marketing operations, to name a just a few.
Increased versatility in data input and output arrangements tends to increase power usage of the portable data terminals, thereby decreasing usage periods between battery exchanges or recharging operations. Touch sensitive or pen actuated data input systems are known. However, in the past, such pen actuated data input systems were generally limited to the use of pens for digitizer boards or in conjunction with full keyboard type computer terminals. While the former devices are considered limited in their application, the latter are comparatively bulky, even as lap top computers, and are not useful for practical data entry and retrieval in shop, warehouse, store or delivery route environments.